Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have uncovered consignments of high-potency illicit drugs concealed inside water purifier machines imported into Lagos from the Netherlands, in what officials described as another major breakthrough in the fight against drug trafficking.

According to the agency, the shipment was intercepted at a courier facility in Lagos on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, following intelligence-led surveillance operations carried out by officers attached to the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation.

The seized items reportedly included about three kilogrammes of ketamine and 199 grammes of MDMA, commonly known as ecstasy pills. NDLEA officials said the substances were carefully hidden inside water purifier machines in an attempt to evade routine security checks at the logistics facility.

The agency disclosed the operation in a statement issued in Abuja by its Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, who said the seizure formed part of intensified nationwide operations against drug trafficking networks.

Authorities believe the concealment method reflects the increasingly sophisticated tactics being adopted by international drug syndicates attempting to move illicit substances into Nigeria through courier and cargo channels.

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Beyond Lagos, NDLEA operatives recorded additional arrests and seizures in several states as enforcement operations continued across the country.

In Kaduna State, officers arrested a couple identified as Musa Sunday and Mercy Sunday alongside another suspect, Salomi Ezekiel, after discovering 100 jumbo bags of skunk stored inside their residence in the Gonin Gora area.

The agency said the seized consignment weighed approximately 1,246 kilogrammes, describing it as one of the major cannabis recoveries recorded in recent operations.

On the same day, NDLEA patrol teams along the Abuja-Kaduna highway intercepted a 30-year-old suspect, Sunusi Musa, who was allegedly transporting 380 rounds of military-grade 7.62mm ammunition to Katsina State.

The agency disclosed that the suspect and recovered ammunition had been transferred to the relevant security authorities for further investigation.

In Niger State, operatives acting on intelligence raided a warehouse in Gidan Kukah, Bosso Local Government Area, where they recovered 457 kilogrammes of skunk.

Investigators later arrested a suspect identified as Godwin Zakka in connection with the warehouse operation, while further investigations continue into the wider network linked to the drugs.

Meanwhile, in Enugu State, NDLEA officers intercepted a commercial vehicle travelling along the Onitsha-Enugu Expressway toward Taraba State.

A search conducted on the vehicle reportedly uncovered 22,000 pills of tramadol, 100 ampoules of pentazocine and 200 grammes of bromazepam.

A suspect, James Maigari Wisdom, was arrested in connection with the seizure.

The agency stated that the nationwide operations are part of sustained efforts to disrupt supply chains, dismantle trafficking syndicates and reduce the circulation of illicit substances across Nigeria.

Alongside enforcement activities, the NDLEA said it continued public sensitisation campaigns under its War Against Drug Abuse initiative in schools, religious centres and communities nationwide.

Some of the institutions visited during the week included schools in Cross River, Taraba, Lagos and Anambra states.

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Mohamed Buba Marwa, commended officers involved in the operations and urged personnel nationwide to sustain the momentum against drug trafficking and abuse.

He stressed that the fight against narcotics requires constant vigilance, public awareness and coordinated enforcement actions across all regions of the country.